My PCM Big Boy is cursed! That is all there is to it! Had to repair when I first got it, then had to send it back to BLI two times for repairs. Finally runs like a Big Boy should! Terry sent me a free Loksound decoder, got the speakers and Ulrich Models down loaded Big Boy sound file for free! Happy Day, right? Not so sure right now?
Terry's old decoder when it came back from sound file down loading sound great! But, headlight would not come on? Called Steve, owner of Ulrich Models and he went above the call of duty by sending a different Loksound Decoder. (I still had the one Terry gave me that Ulrich only down load sounds into) Second Decoder the head lights worked, but no chuff sounds? All the other sounds where fine?
Called Steve again and told him the problem. He sent me yet another decoder! Keep in mind I now have three Loksound decoders and I never bought one from him! This guy has gone way to far to help me out.
Third Decoder worked great, all the sounds and the light worked! Happy day and sent the other two decoders back.
When Steve down loads Big Boy sounds he changes CV's so it sound more like a Big Boy. One of the CV's he changes is volume CV 63 from 64 to 50. I like having the sound set at a higher volume so I can use F-8 to adjust to other back ground sounds and engines. Steve said OP mode was fine to change CV's on the main. Tried it and it did not change the volume? So I tried few other CV's and again could not change the CV's in OP.
I then tried to change it back to default using CV 8 = 8 still in OP mode. Cab stead 22, not default 3. OK, I am doing something wrong. Shut down the bench and went to bed.
Next day turned on the bench and tried to run the Big Boy, could not get it to move but start up sounds came on. Set the DT 400 to 3, and the Big Boy started the roll, lights where on and all the sounds worked, except the chuff's? All so the F buttons functions have changed. F-5 for a example is heavy steam, it no longer control by F-5 but F-6?
Before I call Steve again, I want to try resetting the decoder to default. This time it will be on separate track not hooked to the main bench.
What mode should I use? I have a Digitrax SEB. I did down load the Loksound Manual and never found where it said what mode I should use before my eyes started bleeding!
I lured Simon 1966 over last weekend under the pretense of letting is sons run the layout. Handed Simon the manual and asked if he could help? Said no when his eyes started to bleed.
Hope some one here can help! This is my first 3 day weekend in 4 years and this Sunday is club day at K-10 Model Trains. Want to run the Big Boy with all sounds working.
Sorry to be such a pain in the caboose!
Ken
I hate Rust
It would seem that one pin may not be contacting..is that possible? If everything works but the chuff, there is a missing link to a hard cam device or some circuit not completed that gives the decoder the correct information for synchronization.
I agree with David about the Tsunami, though. I am getting sweeter on this decoder all the time. I have yet to try one of BLI's new decoders, but if they turn out to be a distinct improvement over the QSI's, that could be a real boon to the steamer's dream, also.
What have you got to lose, Ken? Your BB has been a pain in the backside as much as it has been fun to use. I suggest you agree to David's harsh terms.
-Crandell
Thanks for the offer David, but I dont have the money for a Tsunami. This has been a ruff year for my family.
David, I just reset the decoder and still no chuff sounds. Heavy Steam is still on function 6 and not the correct function 5 like it should be.
Sunday I am going to K-10 Model Trains for the open house. I will see if I can find a buyer for a BLI Class J I don't run any more. If I can find a buyer I will take you up on your kind offer.
I am not second guessing you like I did with the MRC Power Station 8, but I do have few questions I would like to ask.
1 My PCM Y6-b has the same decoder, it's decoder has never had a problem and has 250 hours plus on it now. Do you think that loading new sounds may have made the decoder unstable?
2 Why would it do better in a diesel? I love the sound when it worked right and speed control is still great. Problem is it seems to want to reprogram it self. Would it be more stable because there is less demands on the decoder due to fewer sounds?
3 Reusing the decoder, it is a 21 pin decoder, is there a adapter so it could be used in my Proto 1000 F-3?
Any links you can send with a Big Boy using the Tsunami Heavy? I have only heard one, it was Simon's 1966 Rivarossi and sorry to say I was not impressed. Sorry Simon.
If there any chances you could use a BLI Class J let me know.
Hi Ken; Is there a 21 pin interface in your Big Boy?. The 21 pin is a "new" standard here in Europe with the advantage of hardwiring lights and speakers to the loco, it hasn´t been so popular in the States so far as I reckon. Esu has a 21 pin adapter at their website: http://www.esu.eu/en/products/accessories/21mtc-adapter-board/
I have experienced the same thing as you with a Loksound 3.5, when I had uploaded the sounds myself it was very unstable until I removed the talking engineer. Then it was okay! So maybe you should remove some of the sound files so that the memory isn´t so full?
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Any major programming, or reprogramming, should be done a programming track. Since there is limited current there is less chance of damaging the decoder from voltage spikes or fluctuations (a previous problem the OP has experienced).
Since your original question was "Best way to program a LokSound Decoder?" I'll put the answer in simple terms - BUY THE LOKSOUND PROGRAMMER. This the manufacturer's own device and is obviously what they recommend to program their decoders. What could be better than their own system? Email them and see what they recommend?
A word of advice to CudaKen. You have been given exceptional assistance and offers of help. The guy a Ulrich Models has, as you said, gone above and beyond the call of duty in providing you service that quitely frank was he had no obligation to perform. David has made you not one but two exceptionally generous offers regarding installation and programing a new decoder. All he asked is you provide the decoder and cover shipping. Either accept these offers of help or stop complaining and solve the problem on your own. I still say your either most unluckiest modeler railroader person ever or there is some fundamental flaw in your dcc system and benckwork wiring.
David, it is a 21 pin decoder.
This is what the insides of a PCM Big Boy looks like. Board has a 8 pin plug that is being used in the picture, the 21 plug is at the other end toward the tender light. This is where my decoder is plugged in.
I will PM you by Monday and give you a up date on what I am going to do.
Silver Pilot, far as my luck goes, it has been better lately. But for where ever reason Big Boys seem to constant problem. But on the other hand, I did not melt it!
David, you have a PM
Does the Big Boy have a chuff cam, or does it use the automatic sync? If it has a cam, there's a Loksound firmware update from March 2009 that resolves a bug in the 3.x decoders where the chuff is lost with an external sensor. Unfortuantely you need a Loksound programmer to do a firmware update on it.
DOn;t give up - check a few CVs. CV49 shoudl be 19 (which is the default - but check it). If there is a cam, set CV57 = 0 and CV58 = 1 (you might have to increase CV58 for proper chuffing, but 1 will make it chuff). If there is no cam, you'll have to experiment, but try CV57=20 and CV58=115. Again, that may not be the right amount of chuffs per revolution but it WILL chuff.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thanks for the CV's Randy, I will give them a try. I just picked up my Big Book Of Loksound Gibberish. First thing listed under CV 49 is Load control. F function that shift from 5 to 6 is called Heavy Train Mode so I guess it can be the same thing?
Hum, while looking at the Big Book of Loksound Gibberish, all the defaults are listed. I guess I could reset all of them to default, only take a hour?
I am trying to join the Loksound website, but it seems just as hard to get log on as it is to read the manual.
cudaken Hum, while looking at the Big Book of Loksound Gibberish, all the defaults are listed. I guess I could reset all of them to default, only take a hour?
Ken,
Why not just do a complete complete reset and be done with it? Write down only the CVs you want to keep, reset the decoder, then plug them back in where necessary.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
FWIW, I like the Loksound decoders I've installed. They are especaily handy when installing a sound system in a small loco. With LS, you don't have to find a place for a largish capicitator.
Having said this, they are a royal pain to program. I use DecoderPro - no problems with DP but major lack of clarity with LS documentation. I finally was able to resolve my difficulties by exchanging several emails with LS tech support. They are VERY good and helpful.
As to resetting and starting over, I did that and lost a number of functions. I found that manually entering all the defaults seemed to solve the problem. I use a Digitrax Zephyr. With it you can read back all LS CVs on the programming track. Not true of any Soundtraxx decoders.
To my ear, the sound is as good as Tsunami (mine are only steamers) and in some ways I like the functionality of the LS decoder better. The Tsunami can be confusing to program, precisely because there are so many choices. I was not able to get the best functionality out of my steamer-installed Tsunamis until I followed the guidance provided by the author of an article in NMRA's Scale Rails from several months ago about programming Tsunamis. Majorly helpful!
tstageWhy not just do a complete complete reset and be done with it?
Tom, if you mean change CV 8 = 8, I have done that in Ops and Dricet Mode to no avail. It did change the volume back to default which was all I was trying to do in the first places! If you mean something driffrent let me know.
Tom, now that you have answered this posting and be more flunt with the Big Book Of Gibberish, what CV's would you change to get chuffs going again? I just tried the CV's that Randy listed and nothing changed. I did use Ops mode, did not feel like hooking the test track to the DB 150. What mode would you use?
If only the darn PR 3 would read the CV's of the sound decoders I have! It would be so easy, read the files from my Y6-b loksound decoeder and copy to the Big Boy and be done!
MMR Sparky, what hard ware are you using Decoder Pro with so you can read the CV's? As stated my PR 3 will not read the CV's.
The thing about CV8=8, if those locos use a cam, the settings from default are wrong. If no cam, then it should chuff just fine ont he default settings, if a bit out of sync. BEMF has to be on, which is it after a proper reset, according to the manual.
To get those numbers, I downloaded the manual from their web site. It doesn't look the same as the one that came with my PCM T1, in fact it looks much improved and not so much freshly translated from German. There's a nice table in it that lists all CVs of the decoder, what it does, what the values are, and what the default is. Other then the ones labelled as "button press A on" "button press A off", the rest are fairly self-explanatory. Go to the Support section of the ESU web site, and then Manuals.
It COULD be volume, out of the box default settings on my T1 had the chuffs too quiet relative to the accesories, bell, and whistle. You can;t change the chuff volume independently, so I upped the master volume and reduced the others to get a better balance and it was a 100% improvement. However, even at the default the chuffs were loud enough to hear, not silent.
I am using an old LocoBuffer that I built from a kit when they were still offered that way. A similar device is available from several sources, much improved. Go to the JMRI site to find sources: http://jmri.org/help/en/html/hardware/index.shtml.
I had somewhat the same difficulties with my first LS decoder and their tech support was very helpful in straightening me out. Having all the default settings for your particular decoder is paramount. Without it you will not know what sound functions are installed and where. As I said in my earlier post, the only drawback to these decoders is the insufficient written documentation.
A DB 150 will not read back ANY decoder, sound or otherwise. The various vendors have petitioned Digitrax to stop making the device precisely because their customers are frustrated about the lack of read-back capability. Any other Digitrax command station will read-back. That's why I sold the more powerful DB 150 I had and purchased the Zephyr. Just be aware that none of Digitrax's command stations will read back any Soundtraxx decoder. For that, you neeed a booster, so by Soundtraxx, DCC Specilaties and others. About $50 or so.
As to LS decoders, the only programming device you need if you want to be computer-based is the free DecoderPro. Its only drawback is that you cannot load new sound schemes into LS decoders using it. Any other CV can be readily changed AND you have a printable permanent record of what you have done.
If you have the proper command station, you can theoretically read back ALL the CVs in a decoder through DecoderPro, thus populating your decoder file with whatever is currently programmed in the CVs.
However, I don't recommend it as it will take a really long time with an LS decoder as there are over 250 CVs.
When a command station reads back a CV, it starts at "1" and asks the decoder to confirm, or not, if it equals "1". If not, the command station continues to ask the question in sequence, up to 255. Yes, it happens fairly quickly, but it still has to step up through up to 255 question-answer sessions.
You can test this with a CV with a known low value CV. It will read-back the CV value much quicker than a CV with a higher value. This is probably a whole lot more than you wanted to know.
Hey guys thanks for all the answers. After the day I have had today my last worry is the Big Boy problem.
To day was the day from H--L, company new trend is to give the new people stores and have guys like me to fix there F UP's. Try explaining to a lady that thinks her mattress set is being delivered today, her daughter has left with her old one heading to Main and the New Manager has her set being delivery on 08-09- 2049 and all the trucks are on the road! Or the lady that bought a mattress set with a 20 year warranty and cannot understand Why Her Dog chewing a hole in it is not covred under the warranty? My whole day was like that, hated hearing the phone ring!
Sorry that was off topic, but I need to blow off a little steam!
No problem, Ken. We want to know that your BB is blowing steam once again.
Up Date! All is good again in the Cuda Ken World! Today I finally sat down and started changing decoder to default settings. I did try default again using Page mode but still no chuff's. I started at CV 1 and went from there when I got to CV 61, I stopped and gave it a try.
I had chuff's!
Most likely CV's that fixed the problem where CV 57 Sound Mode 1 Steam Engine default is 20 and CV 58 Sound Mode 2 default for Steam is 115.
F buttons are still not right but what the heck! Far as what caused the problem to begin with still no clue.
Thanks again to C&O Fan for the decoder. Thanks all so To Steve at Ulrich Models for bending over backward to help. And all the kind folks here that helped.
By the way David, I still have the Class J sitting in the box.